Sisters Felicia and Aisha Goodman possess a strong twin connection. They share an apartment and a business, but honestly, that’s where the similarities end.
Aisha is a bit domineering and drives her sister crazy each night by bringing home a different man. Felicia finally has enough of her sister’s sexcapades and moves to a new apartment – right across the hall.
When customers begin taking their accounting business elsewhere, Aisha worries she’ll lose the company. Enter Lance, a millionaire who takes what he wants. He wants Aisha for a toy, and he uses her like a puppet.
Living downstairs is Derrick, a hot brother who just moved to Atlanta from the windy city. Sparks fly between Aisha and Derrick when they first meet, and it seems they’re destined for confrontation. Derrick dumped girlfriend Darla before the move, but she shows up with a surprise announcement that complicates several lives.
Felicia hangs with her lifelong friend Tarik, who is also Derrick’s best friend. If Felicia could have her way, she’d quit working with her sister and open a catering business. She’d also like to be more than friends with Tarik.
The lives of Aisha, Felicia, Tarik and Derrick become intertwined in complex ways. Will it all unravel?
Chick lit is enjoyable, but this book doesn’t satisfy that craving. It’s difficult to tell if the writing is simply chick lit, a romance, or erotica – or “chirotica”, a combination of the three. In chick lit, readers generally cheer for and encourage the protagonist. While Felicia is a hard worker, she’s also wishy-washy. Aisha has problems, too. She appears driven when it comes to work, but she seems mad at the world most of the time (which could explain why her business is losing customers). Stronger heroines would make the story more believable. It’s difficult to invest in characters when the depth is thin. Perhaps if the story alternated between the sister’s viewpoints, readers might have an easier time relating to the dilemmas facing their characters.
Ironically, one of the most developed characters is Darla, Derrick’s crazy ex-girlfriend, who shows how manipulative and catty the female species can be. Her dialogue and attitude seem like a natural fit in this novel.
The other problem is the use of comparisons, qualifiers following dialogue, and repetition of slang phrases. Some of the comparisons – especially the number of them – become overwhelming, and they aren’t always believable. The use of slang phrases is fine; however, relying on one throughout the book slows down the reading. The show-don’t-tell principle would add to the potential of this story.
Yes, there are some funny moments that will give readers pause and make them have an “I’ve been there” moment. Some of the cell phone scenes especially fit into today’s world of instant access. But isn’t there a point where you have to say to yourself, Enough is enough?
If you’re looking for a quick read on a lazy summer day, One G-String Short of Crazy will fit the bill.